Job Opportunity: Call for Individual Consultant – Geographic Indications (GI) Expert position available at Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) in Ethiopia (with possible field travel). Legal, Social Sciences and Community Service jobs in Ethiopia are in high demand. Apply now through GeezJobs - Ethiopia's leading job portal.

Location: Ethiopia (with possible field travel) Deadline: 30 April 2025 Start Date: 15 May 2025 Contract Duration: 3 Months (renewable based on performance) Project: EU DeSIRA – Yayu Biosphere Reserve

Background

The Yayu Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-recognized site in Ethiopia, is home to wild Arabica coffee forests. Under the EU-funded DeSIRA (Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture) project, efforts are underway to secure Geographic Indication (GI) certification for Yayu coffee. This certification will protect the product’s identity, promote market access, and contribute to climate resilience and biodiversity conservation.

Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) is seeking a qualified individual consultant to support and advance the GI registration process and stakeholder capacity building.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate legal and technical outputs from partner universities.

• Ensure GI application compliance with EU Regulation No. 1151/2012 and Ethiopian law.

• Facilitate collaboration between key stakeholders including government, academia, cooperatives, and EU partners.

• Develop and finalize the GI application dossier.

• Organize and lead a stakeholder validation workshop.

• Produce high-quality reports and strategic recommendations.

Deliverables & Payment

• Inception Report

• GI Gap and Legal Analysis

• Revised GI Application Dossier

• Final Report & Workshop

Payment will be made in three installments tied to deliverables.

Qualifications and Expertise

• Advanced degree in one or more of the following fields: Intellectual Property Law, Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, GIS, or related fields

•  5+ years of proven experience in GI certification and agricultural value chains Excellent legal/technical analysis and stakeholder coordination skills

• Familiarity with Ethiopia’s coffee sector and institutional frameworks

• Fluency in English (Amharic and Afan Oromo are assets)

How To Apply

Interested and qualified candidates Submit the following by 30 April 2025 to bekele.haile@hrnstiftung.org.